After Defeat
by Keeper of Tomes
Summary: A reflection on the first loss of many.


**Felt a bit bored, conjured this up. TTFN.**

* * *

Her eyelids fluttered open reluctantly, as if part of her wanted to continue sleeping. Not that she was actually in bed.

Her sides ached, and she managed to take a deep breath before looking around and absorbing the damage. _Great. The entire throne room destroyed. Father would've flipped. _The weight on top of her drew her mind back to what had happened. The falling support beam...and then there was Dark Ace...

Dark Ace. Oh, crap.

Cyclonis pulled herself from underneath the metal pillar in time to see him, squished underneath the steel, unconscious. _He'd better not be dead. I'll kill him if he's dead. _She looked around for her staff, but couldn't find it. Instead, her eyes fell onto the blood red crystal she often used for punishments. Her thin fingers wrapped around it. Cyclonis turned to face the pillar, forcing her will through her wiry arms, until red energy spiraled out and encased the steel. With a grunt, she lifted it and tossed it aside, her arms shaking with exertion. He moved. _Thank God. _She approached him, refusing to show any sign of worry.

"Master," he hissed, pulling himself up. She could tell he was disappointed.

"You win some, you lose some," she said offhandedly, a subtle attempt at reassurance. Cyclonis turned around, hearing him stand and brush himself off. She smiled to herself. "Apparently, now, the same goes for you, Dark Ace." She felt him grimace. She'd wounded his pride. Good. "Don't worry. Atmos is going to learn soon enough that I've got much more in store for it." She glared at the red, churning sky overhead and contorted her face into a sneer. "And as for the _Storm Hawks..._They'll PAY for what they've done." She heard herself speak. It was like her father's voice churned up inside her. Were all evil overlords like this? She doubted it.

"So what should we do now?"

Dark Ace's voice was pained. She turned to see him clutching his ribs. Her eyebrows wavered in a moment of sympathy. He had, after all, saved her life.

"WE will do nothing. You will go and see a doctor."

Her words stung. "I do NOT need help," he managed, stiffening. Obviously mad at himself for letting his pain show. Another smile crept across her face, dark eyes shooting lighting bolts at him.

"Dark Ace, you will be of no assistance to me if you insist on walking around with a snapped rib. So you WILL go see a doctor, or I will throw that pillar back on top of you and leave it there. Understood?"

He mumbled something.

"What was that?" she hissed.

"Yes, Master," he said.

"Good. And get someone to go out there and rescue Ravess and Snipe. I believe they have conveniently landed in the Wastelands." Cyclonis turned away once more, this time dismissing him with an angry glare. She heard his footsteps echo away, with less vigor in them then usual. Fixing the palace would soak up more resources, more time, more man power. More of HER energy. Sometimes, Cyclonis wondered what things would have been like if she had been born into a normal family. The crystal still clutched in her hand, she shot a bolt at the pillar, this time lifting it up and fitting it into place. There was a barely audible click. She lowered her arms. The pillar fell back down. This...was going to take some time.

Meanwhile, there was some research she needed to do. On the Storm Hawks. They were a bunch of rag-tag children, but a normal adult might call her a child as well. They merited...closer inspection. She gritted her teeth and walked outside.

The hallway had collapsed entirely. Talons walked around, scratching their heads, wondering what the HELL just happened, something even Cyclonis didn't know. She marched down the hallway towards the doctor's office to ensure her orders had been carried out.

There was a line in front of the door, and all the men stood and mumbled their respects as she approached.

"Master..."

"M'lady..."

She acknowledged the comments with a nod. "Who's in there?"

They all looked at each other with blank looks. One brave fellow piped up from the back. "We don't know!"

Cyclonis grunted, as if to say, _Continue with your suffering. See if I care. _She knocked on the door.

"Who is it?" The doctor's gravelly voice was muffled.

"Your boss," she answered dryly. There was a frantic shuffling, before the door opened and a old man with sour breath peered out.

"Master Cyclonis!" he exclaimed.

"The one and only," she said, annoyed. "Who's in there?"

"Erm..." the doctor began.

"I am. What, thought I'd disobey you?" Dark Ace's voice floated out. She peered in and saw him sitting on the examination table..._shirtless. _A large blue black bruise had imprinted itself on his chest. She swung her head away, turning red.

"Well, good to know, Dark Ace. Continue with the examination, doctor. Dismissed." She walked away, hearing the door close behind her, trying to drown out the crowing laugh that had come from the doctor's office.

* * *

**Cute, huh? Yeah, bit of a drabble. I think I might just do a little series of these. You know, Cyclonis and Dark Ace's little musings after every defeat. Which tends to happen a lot, don't you think? TOO much, actually. Goodness, dudes, let 'em win a little! (Dudes being the writers at Nerd Corps.) Let me know if you liked it. Yes, it was a SLIGHTLY implied DA/C.  
**


End file.
